Vehicle dashboard thermos bottle and utility clamp holder



Oct. 15, 1968 TRACHTENBERG ET AL 3,405,899

VEHICLE DASHBOARD THERMOS BOTTLE AND UTILITY CLAMP HOLDER Filed Nov. 14,1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LEON/9RD TR/ICHTf/VBER69 .J- a4 a0 a 75 72 PETERWARREN IRALHTHVBL-RG BY 9% im'fl Oct. 15, 1968 TRACHTENBERG ET AL3,405,899

VEHICLE DASHBOARD THERMOS BOTTLE AND UTILITY CLAMP HOLDER Filed Nov. 14,1966 4 Sheets-Sheet z III/I. W'IIII/ 9 Z INVENTORS m A 150mm)mQcHM/VEERM 420 if ,,,,,fl 1 /2 PL-TER WHERE/V mmmvams Oct. 15, 1968TRACHTENBERG ET AL 3,405,899

VEHICLE DASHBOARD THERMOS BOTTLE AND UTILITY CLAMP HOLDER Filed Nov. 14,1966 i 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 m a @221 45 2 W 152 INVENTORS BY W ATTUIWEYHUnited States Patent Ofice 3,405,899 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 3,405,899VEHICLE DASHBOARD THERMOS BOTTLE AND UTILITY CLAMP HOLDER LeonardTrachtenherg and Peter Warren Trachtenherg, both of 512 Pleasant ValleyWay, West Orange, NJ. 07052 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.497,841, Oct. 19. 1965. This application Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 593,887

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-229) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Clamping mechanism formounting a bottle on a vehicle dashboard. The bottle is adapted to bedetachably supported in a vertical position or in a tilted position topour out the contents. The mounting mechanism is sectional, one sectionadapted to be clamped to the dashboard, the other section beingpivotally connected to the one section for supporting the bottle ineither upright or tilted position.

This invention relates to an insulated electrically heated bottle andmore particularly to a holder for mounting the bottle as well as otheritems on a vehicle dashboard; and invention is an improvement over thedisclosure of our copending application Ser. No. 497,841, filed Oct. 19,

196 5, and this application is a continuation-in-part of the copendingapplication.

Summary of the invention Clamping means for supporting a bottle on thedashboard of an automobile. The clamping means is sectional including aU-shaped wire member, the end portions of the'body of the member adaptedto be screwed onto the dashboard. The other section is substantiallyU-shaped with curved arm portions terminating in eyelets connected tothe bight portions of the U-shaped wire member, the curved arms adaptedto engage a bottle and support it under tension in either an uprightposition or a tilted position.

One object of the invention is to provide improved holder means formounting an insulated thermos-like bottle on the vehicle dashboard suchthat the bottle may be tilted to pour olf its contents.

Other objects of the invention are to provide means for detachablysupporting a device upon the dashboard of a vehicle for holding drinkingglasses and the like in upright position, for holding cleaning tissuesand the like in stacked position, for clampingly holding a road map andthe like in a flat condition and for holding a waste paper container inan upright position.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical perspective view of an insulated bottle embodyingthe invention, parts being broken away to show internal constructionthereof.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on a reduced scale, showing the bottlesupported by a spring clamp mounting on the dashboard of a vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the spring clampmounting shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a disassembled perspective view of the thermostat and thesupporting plate therefor.

FIG. 6 is a part elevational and part sectional view showing the partsof FIG. 5 in assembled relation.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken generally on the plane of theline 7-7 of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 showing the bottle intilted position pouring the contents into a cup.

FIG. 9 is a part perspective view of a further modified form of adetachable tiltable mounting for a bottle.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken generally on line 1010 ofFIG. 9 on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 11 is a disassembled perspective view of the elbow and clamp ofFIG. 10.

FIG. 12. is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of arrangementfor clamping the elbow to the vehicle dashboard.

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the wedge shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of the form of mounting of FIG. 9shown supporting a tray for utensils on the vehicle.

FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of the tray of FIG. 14 with coverplate detached therefrom.

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view through the longitudinal center ofthe tray of FIG. 14 shown supporting a stack of tissues.

FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of the mounting of FIG. 9 shownsupporting a clip-board with a road map thereon.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the top of a container for holding atrash bag that is adapted to be detachably supported on the mounting ofFIG. 9, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of the mounting of FIG. 9 withillustration made of the manner in which the insulated bottle is mountedthereon and tilted.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 8, there is shown a heated insulatedbottle 20 including a cylindrical body 21 defined by concentric innerand outer thin walls 22, 24 with a thermal insulation filler 25therebetween. The upper end of the bottle body 21 is closed by an innerthreaded cap 26 screwed into the mouth of body 21 and engaged byinternal threads 27 formed at the top of inner wall 22. A cup 28 isremovably screwed on outer threads 29 of outer wall 24. To the extentdescribed, the bottle is substantially conventional.

This bottle 20 has a coiled electrical resistance heater element 32disposed on a thermal and electrically insulated plug 34 fitted into anopening 35 at the bottom of the bottle body. The coil 32 is housed in acylindrical hollow casing 33 closed at the top and bottom and having anannular flange 33' adjacent the bottom end thereof which rests on thetop of the plug 34. A circular perforated plate 37 is secured to theunder surface of the plug 3-4 and to the bottom of the bottle 20 and thecasing 33 is fixed thereto by means of a depending post 3-9 extendingfrom the eas- 3 ing 33 and through holes 47 in the plate 37. An enclosedbimetallic thermally-responsive switch element 49 is connected at oneend to the wire 36 by means of an electrical contact 51 and is connectedat its other end by means of an electrical contact 53 to a currentsupply wire 55. Another supply wire 55' is connected directly to theother wire 36' of the heating element 32. The thermal element issupported on the underside of the plate 37 by means of spring clips 57and its contacts 51 and 53. The plate 37 is housed in another cup 59internally screw threaded detachably at its free ends to threads 60 onthe bottom end of body 21. Outer wall 24 extends inwardly and upwardlyfrom threads 60 to define a cupshaped flange 61 underlying plug 34. Thewires 55 and 55' are formed into an electric cable or cord 62 whichterminates in a plug 64 for engagement with a receptacle 65 on thedashboard. The cord 62 is housed in cup 59.

A spring clamp mounting 66 is provided for supporting the bottle 20 inan upright position, but pivotable thereon, on the dashboard 68 of avehicle 70. This mounting has a generally U-shaped wire member 72 formedwith flattened portions 74 at ends of its bent arms 75, FIG. 4. Theflattened portions 74 support screws 76. These screws 76 can engage oninner inwardly-extending bottom flange 77 of the dashboard 68 as clearlyshown in FIG. 3 to provide a stationary support. A spring clamp 78 formspart of mounting 66. This clamp 78 is formed from a bent piece of wire.The wire is bent U-shaped to define two curved arms 80 which have endloops or eyes 82 pivotally engaged on straight bight 83 of member 72,but frictionally holding the clamp in normal horizontal position. Twoopposed intermediate loops 84 are formed in clamp 78 to define doublecurved arms 86 and 88 yieldably embracing the body 21 of the bottle 20under spring tension, holding it axially upright, as clearly shown inFIGS. 2 and 3. The bottle 20 can be tilted from an axially-uprightbalanced vertical position to an inclined position as illustrated indotted lines in FIG. 3 for emptying liquid contents of the bottle intocup 28 or 59. The plug 64 at the end of cable 62 can be inserted intothe usual cigarette lighter recepta'ble 65 on the dashboard of thevehicle for energizing heating element 32. The energized heating elementwill heat the contents of the bottle.

In FIGS. 9 to 11, modified means for supporting the bottle 20' inupright position on the vehicle is shown. In this form, an elongatedchannel-shaped post 90 formed with spaced holes 92 in the web portion94- thereof is adjustably and detachably fixed to a channel-shaped elbow96 clamped to the under side 98 of a dashboard 68 by a clampingstructure 100. The clamping structure 100 includes a U-shaped body 102formed with a rectangularshaped opening 104 in its bight portion 106.The leg portions 108, 108 are each formed with a pair of threaded holes110 to receive a clamping screw 112 with knob 114 whereby one leg 116 ofthe elbow 96 extends through the opening 104 and is clamped to thedashboard. The other leg 118 of the elbow 96 is adjustably fixed to theinner surface of the web portion 94 of channel shaped post 90 by a screw120 passing through hole 92 in the post and having a wing nut 122 at oneend outside the post and having a lock nut 124 inside the post forfastening the post and elbow to each other.

A bracket assembly 126 is detachably and adjustably mounted on the post90 adjacent its top end as viewed in FIG. 9. This bracket assembly 126includes a U-shaped wire body 128 with upwardly bent free ends 130. Aperforated substantially-square plate 132 is formed integrally with abight portion 134 of the wire body 128 extending upwardly. The U-shapedbody 128 is adapted to be held against the post 90 by means of athreaded bolt and nut assembly 136, the shank 138 of the headed boltextending through one of the holes 92 in the post 90 and clamped to theplate by the wing nut 140.

The -U-shaped body 128 when in the horizontal position shown in FIGS. 9and 10 is ready to receive and support a bottle 20' having a metal band142 therearound with opposed perforated brackets 144. The brackets 144are slipped over the free bent ends of the body as shown in FIG. 10whereby the bottle is detachably held in upright position as shown inFIG. 10. The bottle 20' may be swung clockwise or counter-clockwise andviewed in FIG. 19 by merely loosening the wing nut of the bolt and nutassembly 136.

A more secure attachment of the elbow 96" to the dashboard 68" may beobtained by inserting a wed-geshaped insert 142 under the end edge ofthe underside 98" of the dashboard and then tightening up on theclamping screw 112" thereabove as shown in FIG. 12.

The mounting assembly shown in FIG. 9 is also adapted to support a traystructure in level position for supporting drinking cups in uprightposition and cleaning tissues in stacked position as shown in FIGS. 14and 16. A metal tray 146 is shown including a flat rectangular body 148with flanged periphery 150 forming a shallow tray. The body is formedwith spaced round openings 152 adapted to receive and support in uprightposition various household articles such as drinking glasses or tumblers154 shown supported in the openings. These glasses or tumblers 154 maybe tapered or formed with end flanges. One of the long flanged edges isformed with laterallyextending integrally-perforated ears 156 wherebythe tray may be slid over'the top of the bent ends 130 of the bracket126 and supported in operative level position as shown in FIG. 14. Thetray 1 46 may be provided with a removable cover 158 as shown in FIG.15.

In FIG. 16, the tray 146 is shown supporting a stack of cleaning tissues160.

A rectangular-shaped solid board 162 having a piece 164 at the headthereof is shown supported in operative horizontal position in FIG. 17on the mounting assembly shown in FIG. 9. The body of the board 162 andthe head piece 164 are formed with aligned holes 166 to receive the bentends 130 of the bracket 126. The board 162 is adapted to support in flatcondition, road maps 168 or the like clamped together by a metal springclamp 170.

The mounting assembly shown in FIG. 9 is also adapted to support inupright position a container such as the container 172 shown in FIG. 18having a rectangular-shaped hollow body 174 closed at thee sides andbottom and being open at the top. A trash bag lining 176 is provided forthe body. The rim of the open top of the body is formed with spacedperforated ears 178 for receiving the bent ends 130 of the bracket 126.

In order to use the bottle 20, the plug 64 is plugged into a convenientoutlet such as the cigarette lighter receptacle 65 on the dashboard 68of the vehicle 70 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8 If the unit is plugged intocurrent, without any liquid present, or, if liquid present hasevaporated below coil level, then the bimetallic element 49 serves as athermostatic switch member, breaking contact so as to avoid damage tothe unit. The thermal element 49 when heated will fracture theconnection between the end contacts or terminals 51 and 53 to open thepower supply circuit and cut off the electrical energy supplied to theheating element 32. This thermal element will be sufficiently sensitiveto maintain the contents of the bottle at a desired temperature.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of ourinvention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to theprecise constructions herein disclosed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the kind described, clamping mechanism for mounting anarticle of manufacture detachably and tiltably in a stationary support,said mechanism including a body with radially extending spaced armsadapted to detachably engage the article, the body being sectional, onesection being formed of a wire in U-shape and the arms being bent attheir ends, the arms having flattened portions adapted to engage astationary support, said flattened portions having holes therein, andscrews extending through the holes in the flattened portions forsecuring the body to the support, the other section being formed of wireand bent into U-shape having curved spaced arms with loops on the endsof the curved arms for attachment to the U-shaped one section, anddouble curved arms on the other section, open at one side for receivingand yieldingly embracing the supported article, under tension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 697,901 4/ 1902 Thurber 248316.5910,158 1/ 1909 Walker 248229 1,192,112 7/1916 Porter. 2,084,162 6/1937Packard 248313 X 2,518,538 8/1950 Giblin 248-226 X R. P. SEITTER,Assistant Examiner.

